Means for raising sunken vessels.



J. ARBUGKLB, DEGD. o. ARBUGKLB & 0. A. JAMIBON. ADMINISTRATOKS.

MEANS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1910. 1,061,213. Patented May 6,1913.

Q 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR 1 flaw, By Aflol'mjvs,

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAMI COnWASHINOTON, D. C.

WITNESSES:

J. ARBUGKLE, DECD. o. ARBUGKLE a o. A. JAMISON. ADMINIBTRATORB.

MEANS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1910. Patented May 6,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I VENTOR WITNESSES:

By A tzomeys,

CDLUMBIA PLANOURAF CO" WASNINUTUN, 1). C4

J. ARBUOKLE, DECD. 0. ARBUOKLE a; 0. A. umson. ADMINISTRATOEB.

MEANS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1910.

Patented May 6, 1913.

4 SEEETFBHBET 3.

INVENTOR' m,

WITNESSES:

J. ARBUGKLB, DBGD. o. ARBUOKLE & 0. A. JAMIBON. ADMINISTRATOBB. MEANS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1010.

1,061,21 3, Patented May 6, 1913.

4 SKEBT8-SEBET 4- M g M IHHHH I' i 1, I 1 j j a Z- i E F J? F i i. H :3 I E? 1' L l 1v JV K 1/ INVENTOR WITNESSES: W J

By Attorneys,

JOHN ARIBUCKLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.;

union.

CHRISTINA ARBUCKLE AND CHARLES A.

JAIVIISON ADMINISTRATORS OF SAID JOHN ARBUGKLE, DECEASED.

MEANS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

Application filed July 23 To all whom it 7mm} concern lle it known that I, JOHN Ammonia-1, a ci izen of the United States, residing in borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Raising Sunken Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the raising of sunken vessels and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

The object of the present invention is to provide an essentially practical and relatively inexpensive method of raising sunken vessels, and especially those which are more or less buried in mud or sand.

The invention is particularly applicable in the case of vessels in which the degree of submergence is such that the deck of the vessel is well below the surface of the water.

According to the presentinvention I provide around the sunken vessel a series of piles or other suitable supports which rest upon or in the bottom, and I pass under the vessel a series of cables, chains or other flexible members, the ends of which are supported upon the successive piles. At or near the top of preferably each of the piles arranged a hydraulic jack or other powerful lifting means, which jacks act upon the cables and thus lift the vessel. Preferably all or a part of the jacks are set in operation simultaneously. Under these circumstances the aggregate lifting force of the jacks is sufficient to raise the vessel.

The invention also includes other features which will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a simple vessel with the apparatus provided by my invention in place. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a cross sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the top of one of the piles. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings let A indicate the hull of a submerged vessel, lying upon let us assume a sandy or muddy bottom and well submerged below the water line B.

According to the invention I drive a series of piles C around the hull of the vessel; these piles may be spaced apart any suitable distance, depending upon the tonnage of the vessel and other conditions. Each pile Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1913.

. 1910. Serial No. 573,543.

is driven to a suitable extent in the bottom, if desired to the full amount which will sus' tain its portion of the load when the vessel is being raised. A sufficient number of piles should be used so thatthey will not collapse or sink too deeply in the bottom under the weight of the vessel. On the piles C and preferably on the top of each pile I arrange a lifting device, preferably a hydraulic jack which is indicated by the letter D. The jacks I) are adapted to exert a lifting strain upon chains, cables or other flexible members passed around the bottom of the hull or otherwise temporarily connected to the latter. The connection between the jack and cable may be made in various ways, but I prefer, in order to centralize the strain as much as possible upon the pile. to so arrange the piles that they act in pairs, each pair operating upon two chains or cables passing beneath the vessel. In Fig. 1 the cables are indicated by the letters E E respectively. In Figs. 4; and 5, to which I will now refer, the parts are shown enlarged. In Fig. 5 (which is a side elevation corresponding to the elevation of the pile in Fig. 1), the chains E E are shown as located on diametrically opposite sides of the pile C. These chains are normally connected to a short length of chain F which passes over the top of the plunger Gr of the jack, such chain F being provided with hooks at its lower ends which are designed to engage the links of the chains E E. When the plungers G of the jacks are raised to substantially their full limit it is necessary to support the chains E E while the plunger is being 1ow ered in order that the chain F may be reconnected with the chains E E at points lower down.

Any suitable means for holding the chain may be employed, but I prefer the means shown, wherein two chains or other flexible members H II are provided, one on each side of the body of the jack and each resting upon a stationary lug or support I or I. and the ends of each chain II II. being provided with hooks which are adapted to engage the chains E E to temporarily sustain them during lowering of the plunger by the jack and while the chains F are being reconnected. By these means the lifting load upon the pile and the sustaining load during reconnection are carried as nearly as possible in a direction which is longitudinal of the pile, so that the buckling or bending strains upon the latter are minimized.

As before stated, any suitable lifting device or ack may be employed in connection with the invention, but I prefer the hydraulic jack shown in Figs. 4c and 5, which illustrate a form which is especially adapted for this purpose. By reference to these figures it will be seen that the body of the jack comprises a casting J having a tubular bore or cylinder in which works the plunger G. A suitable pump connection K is provided through which fluid under pressure is forced in the cylinder beneath the plunger. Any type of pump may be used such for instance as the ordinary hand pump. A relief valve L also connected with the lower part of the cylinder may be provided through which the contained fluid may be exhausted when it is desired to lower the jack. Preferably the abutments or lugs I I are cast in one piece with the jack casing and are provided with suitable grooves M M adapted to receive the chains H H.

The jack may be connected with the top of the pile in any approved manner, but I prefer to form a recess N in the lower part of the jack casing which is designed to it over the upper end of the pile, and thus not only secure a rigid connection between the two, but also prevent danger of split-ting the pile head.

The precise location and use of the various parts of the invention depends largely upon the actual conditions which are met with in practice in a given case. Where the conditions necessitate it, my invention provides means for securing a lateral stability of each pile or of the series of piles by a system of stays or trusses which may be variously arranged as conditions warrant. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a series of anchors 0 each of which is connected to one or more of the piles by a cable extended in the direction in which the greatest strain is exerted. In Fig. 2 it is assumed that it is necessary to support the piles in directions approximately at right angles to or away from the vessel. If it is also necessary to prevent the piles from moving away from the vessel, the piles may be connected by chains or cables P which connect the piles above the top of the vessel. By these means the entire series of piles may be supported practically in all directions, so that they constitute substantially a unitary structure. If it is found in any particular case that a given pile or piles tend to move in a given direction, it will be braced or trussed to resist such movement either by connecting it with other piles or by anchors or by other supporting means.

It is preferable to provide turn buckles Q or other means for taking up slack in the supporting cables, so that if a pile or piles tend to sink under the load their supports may be tightened to suit the new conditions. If necessary in any particular case the individual piles may be directly connected by intervening cables or chains R as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to facilitate the passage of the workmen from pile to pile, I prefer to provide an operating plat-form S which may be made of cables wit-h light wood crossings, and which may be either suspended directly from the piles or may rest upon the stay ropes or cables leading to the anchors or other supports. In some cases the connect ing cables It may be doubled and serve as the support for the platform.

In soft or oozy bottoms it may be desirable in some cases to support the piles against undue sinking under the load of the vessel. In this case suitable means may be provided for preventing or resisting such undue sinking. One means adapted for this purpose is shown in Fig. 1 wherein each pile is provided with a disk T, preferably formed in two parts and clamped about the pile. This disk may be flat, cup-shaped, or otherwise formed on its under side and presents a greatly increased resistance to sink ing. In especially bad bottoms additional means may be provided, such as the log or beam U (Fig. 1) which is shown as extending across two piles which are slotted at V, and there if necessary provided with a pulley or sheave. Cables W connected to the log U are passed beneath the pulleys and led upward along a pile to any suitable fastening means X. In driving the piles the cables are preferably permitted to remain loose, so that the log is not forced down. hen the weight of the ship is placed upon the piles, the cables W may be connected with the jacks, which will force the log U down into the mud or other bottom, thus presenting additional supporting means for the piles. p

In case it is found that any injury is apt to be caused by the chains E to the bottom of the ship, each two adjoining cables may be provided with battens Y (Fig. 1) con nected to the chains and arranged betwee the latter and the bottom of the boat.

In practising the invention the cables are passed beneath the bottom of the boat in any approved way. If necessary a pair of caissons may be sunk at the bow or stern of the vessel, such caissons being provided with the usual air locks and hoist-ing mechanism, and by this means the mud or sand from beneath the bow cleared away, and the chains slipped under the bow and worked back by hydraulic or other power to their proper positions. This may be done either before or after the driving of the piles. An inspection of the location of boat and the degi-ee to which she is buried, a calculation of the lifting strain required in accordance with the tonnage of the boat, the amount of suction present due to her position, etc., will determine the number of piles required in practising the invention. If necessary the surrounding mud or sand may be displaced by compressed air until the most favorable conditions are obtained for raising the boat.

The piles may be driven either vertically in the usual Way, or with their lower ends inclined toward the bottom of the vessel. The anchors or other supporting devices may be then laid and the jacks mounted on the tops or heads of"the piles. The chains being adjusted and connected to the jacks if it be desired to raise the vessel bodily, the jacks will be operated simultaneously until the vessel is brought to the surface. During the operation of the device if unequal strains are placed upon the chains E E, this will be compensated for by the movement of the chain F over the top of the plunger-(l, the latter being lubricated for this purpose. A pulley or like device may be provided on the plunger G to facilitate this action if desired.

It has heretofore been proposed to use pontoons on each side of the vessel with connecting chains, but such use is subject to grave disadvantages. It is a. feature of the present invention that the st 'ains on the chains are transmitted to the piles or other supporting means in a direction which is substantially longitudinal of such means. In other words, the strains are centrally applied, so that there is little or no tendency to tilt the supporting means. In the use of pontoons as heretofore employed, the strains are lateral and tend to tip the pontoons. Moreover, in a seaway there is great difficulty in maintaining the pontoons in position and great danger of either smashing the side of the vessel or the pontoon.

IVhile the invention herein set forth is adapted for entirely raising vessels, I may use in connection with it compressed air systems now employed, according to which the deck and emerged portion of the hull are made as air tight as possible, and air under pressure is forced into the hull of the boat. To do this under best conditions it is necessary or desirable that the deck be brought above the water, since a calking of the deck and strengthening of the latter to withstand the required air pressure are much more advantageously effected when the deck is accessible above water. In vessels which are provided with transverse bulk heads near the bow or stern, it is ad- 'antageous in some cases to merely raise the bow or stern until one or the other is above water, and then apply air under pressure to force out the Water, thus rendering the vessel proportionately more buoyant.

IVhile I have described one form of the invention it will be understoml that I do not wish to be limited to the construction set forth, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The piles or other supporting means used are preferably of wood, although they may be formed of any other material if desired. The lifting means provided need not necessarily be hydraulic jacks although they are preferred. Any other means for exerting a lifting strain upon the chains may be adopted. It will be observed that in the preferred form of the invention the vessel is adequately supported by the lifting chains and that it is raised progressively and evenly so that the hull is not liable to distortion or other injury.

\Vhat I claim is:---

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a series of piles, lifting means supported upon said piles and flexible connections passing over the top of said lifting means and adapted to exert a central. or longitudinal thrust on said lifting means and connected to the vessel.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a series of piles, jacks supported upon said piles, each having a movable member, and flexible connections passing over the tops of said movable members and adapted to exert a central or longitudinal thrust on said jacks and connected to the vessel.

3. In apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a series of piles, lifting means SHPPOl'tOCl on said piles and having movable members, flexible members passing beneath the bottom of the vessel, and over the movable members of said lifting means and adapted to exert a central or longitudinal thrust on said lifting means.

l. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a series of piles, jacks supported upon the tops of said piles and having movable members, and flexible members passing over said movable members of said jacks and adapted to exert a central or longitudinal thrust thereon, and passing beneath the bottom of the vessel.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a plurality of piles, one arranged on each side of the vesscl, a jack supported upon each pile, a plurality of flexible members passing beneath the bottom of the vessel on opposite sides of said piles, said flexible members being connected to said jacks whereby when the latter are operated both of said flexible members are raised on each side of the vessel.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a series of piles, arranged on opposite sides of the vessel, and a series of tension supports or stays lead- -ing toward the bottom and adapted to resist movement or" the piles toward the ves sel, and means for holding the outer ends of said supports in position, and a series of supports or stays adapted to resist movement of adjacent piles toward each other.

7. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a series of piles, and means for resisting downward movement of said piles, said means consisting of a log or the like.

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a-series of piles, means for resisting downward movement of said piles, said means consisting of a log or the like, and means for moving said log downwardly along said pile.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a pile, a log or the like, a flexible member connected to said log and movably connected to said pile near its lower end, said log being adapted to be adjusted downwardly along said pile by said flexible member. I

10. In apparatus of the character described, a jack having a movable member,

I l a chain or the like passing over said movable member, and means for sustaining said chain when the movable member is lowered.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a jack having a movable member, a chain or the like passing over said movable member, and means for sustaining said chain when the movable member is lowered, said means comprising flexible members passing over supports upon said jack.

JOHN ARBUCKLE.

Witnesses EUGENE V. :MYERS, FRED WHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). C. 

